CFB Superlatives: Indiana Perseveres, Kirby Smart’s Tuscaloosa Win, CFP Impacts

Three top-10 teams — Texas, Alabama and LSU — suffered losses this weekend, as did Oregon, creating more questions about who can make a legitimate run at a national championship this year. Meanwhile, UCLA remains undefeated under new coach Bob Chesney, and Kentucky is becoming an increasingly intriguing team under first-year coach Will Stein. Georgia is the new No. 1 team in the country and doesn’t look like it will give up that spot easily. The SEC will continue to dominate the headlines, but the Big 12 is demanding attention of its own. BYU, Utah, Texas Tech, Houston and Oklahoma State are all positioning themselves for a shot at the College Football Playoff, making the conference one to watch as this race heats up. With that, here are our superlatives from another fun weekend of college football. No. 5 Indiana scored two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to rally past previously undefeated Nebraska, 20-17, on the road. Hoosiers quarterback Josh Hoover connected with receiver Nick Marsh for a 75-yard score with about 12 minutes remaining, and on the next possession, found Marsh again for a 44-yard touchdown on fourth-and-one to complete the comeback. “I’m not sure it’s completely sunk in — it’s starting to — that we won, because it took everything the players and coaches had in that one to find a way to overcome,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after the game. The defending national champions have now won 22 consecutive games. Just in time to host No. 4 Ohio State next week in an anticipated rematch of last year’s Big Ten title game. Kentucky quarterback Kenny Minchey ran for a two-point conversion in overtime to lift the Wildcats to a 35-34 win over then-No. 10 LSU on Saturday night. An unranked Kentucky team forced overtime when Adam Zouagui made a 33-yard field goal with 12 seconds remaining in regulation – a huge confidence boost after missing his previous two attempts in the final five minutes. Before the game-tying kick, Stein gave Zouagui a hug. “I’m in shock,” Stein said after the game. “We’ve got a really good football team. People count us out. It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t perfect. We just kept chopping. We kept fighting.” In his first season in Lexington, Stein has led Kentucky, now ranked No. 15, to a 5-1 start, putting the Wildcats in position to make a run. Kentucky’s remaining schedule looks winnable with games against only two ranked opponents — Tennessee and Missouri — remaining. This one goes to Kirby Smart after then-No. 2 Georgia beat sixth-ranked Alabama, 20-17, on Saturday night. It was the Bulldogs’ first win in Tuscaloosa since 2007, when Smart was on the opposite sideline as Nick Saban’s defensive coordinator. The Crimson Tide had won their previous five regular-season meetings against the Bulldogs entering Saturday, but Georgia has now beaten Alabama twice in nine months, dating back to a 28-7 victory in last December’s SEC championship game. Alabama had a chance to tie or take the lead late, but a controversial no-call in the fourth quarter was costly. Trailing 20-17, Tide quarterback Keelon Russell looked for receiver Rico Scott, who was sprinting toward the end zone, but Georgia defensive back KJ Bolden broke up the pass. Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer pleaded for pass interference, but to no avail. Russell was sacked on the next play, forcing Alabama to punt. There were still three minutes left, but Georgia maintained possession with help from a late personal foul on Alabama defensive back Dijon Lee Jr. Meet quarterback Ty Pennington, who accounted for six touchdowns in Northern Arizona’s 49-44 upset win over Montana in the FCS this weekend. Pennington went 26 of 38 for 322 yards with one passing touchdown, a 28-yarder to receiver Jeter Purdy, in the first quarter. He added four rushing scores and caught a seven-yard touchdown from receiver Joey Stout, which gave the Lumberjacks the lead for good in the third quarter. Head coach Brian Wright was full of praise after the game. “Ty is not only the toughest player in America; he is the best player in America,” Wright told reporters. “What that guy did today was amazing. That guy put us on our shoulders like I’ve never seen a football player do. He threw touchdowns, he ran for touchdowns, he caught a touchdown. I would hope after today, he gets the recognition he deserves around the country.” In the 121 meetings between Texas and Oklahoma leading up to Saturday, the Longhorns had never lost to the Sooners when ranked No. 1 in the nation. That changed this year, as an unranked Oklahoma team pulled off a 27-24 upset on a walk-off 47-yard field goal. Texas largely beat itself. The Longhorns gave up a blocked punt in the end zone that resulted in a touchdown, while quarterback Arch Manning threw two interceptions, one of which was returned 42 yards for a touchdown. Texas also committed eight penalties and missed a 53-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining that would have given it the lead. Oklahoma’s numbers weren’t much better, but the Sooners didn’t turn the ball over, which was a pivotal difference in the game. After Texas missed a potential go-ahead field goal late and Manning threw his second interception, Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer delivered with a couple of big throws in the waning moments to set up the winning kick. “I thought about this game for 365 days,” said Mateer, who had three interceptions against Texas last year. “I think that was the longest fourth quarter I’ve ever been a part of. It was awesome and I’ll never forget it. But I knew [with] 19 seconds left that this was the time.” What Saturday’s loss means for the Longhorns moving forward remains to be seen. Their schedule is tough, with games against Florida, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, LSU, Arkansas and Texas A&M still ahead. Coach Steve Sarkisian acknowledged a “level of anger and frustration” after this one, but it’s unclear if he can address the team’s issues and keep the season from spiraling. Texas’ defense has championship-caliber potential, but the offense lacks an identity under Manning, and there are questions about if this group can get it together. There’s no question that No. 2 Notre Dame looks like a complete team and could legitimately contend for a championship. The hang-up, though, is the Fighting Irish have yet to face a true test, blowing out nearly every opponent on their schedule so far. That will change this week with a trip to Provo for a prime-time matchup against No. 8 BYU. Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr has been efficient, completing more than 70% of his passes, while Notre Dame’s defense ranks No. 1 in the country. But BYU quarterback Bear Bachmeier is a playmaker in his own right. Over the weekend, he threw for 329 yards and two touchdowns while adding another 109 yards on the ground. This showdown will be an important measuring stick to see just how serious we should be taking them in the CFP and national title conversation.